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At a Glance: Name: Chicago – Meaning: from a Miami-Illinois word for wild onion/leek (also linked to a word for skunk) – Origin: Algonquian (Miami-Illinois) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: shih-KAH-goh
Chicago traces back to a Miami-Illinois word for wild onion or leek, a term also linked to a word for skunk. It's an Algonquian-language name with a concrete, plant-based root rather than an abstract or symbolic one. If you're drawn to place names with real linguistic roots, this is one with documented origins.
Meaning & Origin of Chicago
Meaning: From a Miami-Illinois word for wild onion/leek (also linked to a word for skunk).
Origin: Algonquian (Miami-Illinois).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Chicago
Phonetic: shih-KAH-goh IPA: /ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/
Popularity of Chicago
SSA records for Chicago run from 1995 to 2024, with its highest usage back at the start: rank #5999 in 1995, when 9 babies were given the name. By 2024 it had fallen to rank #6505, with 13 babies recorded that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1995–2024.
Make Chicago Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Chicago, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Chicago mean?
From a Miami-Illinois word for wild onion/leek (also linked to a word for skunk). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Chicago)
How do you pronounce Chicago?
Chicago is pronounced shih-KAH-goh (IPA: /ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/).
Is Chicago a popular name right now?
Chicago is near its all-time peak (#5999 in 1995), ranked #6505 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1995–2024.)
📊 How popular is Chicago? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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